Chelsfield Families: The following persons are researching their Chelsfield Ancestors, please contact us if you wish to add your name to the list. Chelsfield Family Period Researcher email website WHITEHEAD 1800 - 1860 Tony Goodenough goodenough@tesco.net SMITH 1800 - 1810 Tony Goodenough goodenough@tesco.net WALLIS 1770 - 1800 Ben Waters ben_j_waters@yahoo.co.uk PECK 1760 - 1780 Ben Waters ben_j_waters@yahoo.co.uk BLACKWELL 1888 - 1961 Alistair Jones PaWssn@aol.com Graveyard Many family members have been buried in the churchyard over the past 900 years. Our burial records go back to the 16th century, details of burial locations are recorded from 1813 (although this record is not complete). Most burials did not have burial markers or stones, the earliest stones surviving are from the late 18th century. In the 1940's a landmine exploded close to the church, flattened and destroyed a large number of gravestones. Some of the existing stones were placed along the North Wall of the churchyard, others are laying flat under the ground. During the summer the nettles, long grass and wild flowers take over sections of the churchyard, this attracts a great variety of wild life but can make access to the older graves very difficult. Great care should be taken that you do not fall if looking for graves.   Return to St.Martins main page click 'back'